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Universal credit – a reform of the welfare system which unites six different unemployment and in-work benefits into a single monthly-payment – is due to be rolled-out in Grimsby in December (although that could slip into January, according to some sources).

Labour called for the debate and vote on universal credit last Wednesday because they said the pilot roll-out, which saw 500,000 people enrolled onto universal credit, had a number of issues which had forced some into a debt spiral.

By 2022, Universal Credit will affect 28,000 households across North East Lincolnshire

Critics of the system say the minimum wait of six-weeks, from the date of the universal credit application to receiving the first payment, puts pressure on low income families.

But the Government’s own figures found that a quarter of all recipients waited longer than six-weeks, with some left without cash for almost three-months.

There was also controversy around the hotline, set-up to help universal credit claimants, charging 55p-a-minute – 15p more than tax avoiders are charged on their HMRC helpline.

David Gauke, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has since confirmed that the hotline costs will be scrapped.

Melanie Onn, the Labour MP for Great Grimsby, said universal credit in North East Lincolnshire could potentially push benefit claimants into financial difficulty – and just before the expensive festive period.

The shadow front bench minister has joined her party’s leadership in calling for the welfare shake-up to be paused and to “first fix its problems” before expanding it into her constituency.

Citizens Advice and some homeless charities have backed slowing the process down.

“In the areas where the system has been trialled, people have seen their payments delayed for weeks or months, pushing them into debt, rent arrears, and poverty,” said Ms Onn.

“No social security system should allow people to fall off a cliff in this way.

“Rolling it out at Christmas, when households’ finances are already stretched, is pointlessly putting further pressures on those receiving the benefit.”

What really upset MPs, on both sides, was the Tory decision to order all those on the Government benches to stay out of the voting lobbies on Wednesday evening.

The order to abstain created the one-sided contest whereby the Opposition defeated the Government by 299 votes to nil.

Sir Edward Leigh, Conservative MP for Gainsborough

Sir Edward Leigh, the veteran Tory MP representing Market Rasen, spoke after the votes had been tallied to express his dissatisfaction with the evening’s events.

He said Parliament would be reduced to a mere “university debating society” if opposition day votes were not respected.

“I do not quite understand something,” said Sir Edward, who abstained on the vote as ordered.

“For 34 years, I have been trooping through hundreds of divisions [votes] on Wednesdays under successive Labour and Conservative governments.

“When I was required to be here for those divisions, I was under the impression that it served some purpose. What worries me is that surely there is some precedent here.

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“But my own view on it is that you either defend your corner and your policy because you believe it is for the best, or you review and make changes based on what Parliament’s concerns are.”

Mr Vickers said he supported the expansion of universal credit because it was proven to help people into work.

Universal credit tapers benefit payments when a claimant starts working but does not cut them off immediately until the work proves longstanding and sustainable.

The idea is to ensure that claimants are always better off in work than relying on benefits to live.

Ministers say that being paid benefits every four-weeks – rather than fortnightly under the previous system – helps ready people for the world of work.

Under universal credit, the majority of recipients are paid their housing benefit directly and have to then pay that to their landlord or housing provider – a situation mirroring the experience for those in work when paying their rent or mortgage each month, argues the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Exceptions are made for those who struggle with money management, however.

Secretary of State, Mr Gauke, confirmed the Government could shorten the period between submitting an application for universal credit and the first pay date – a minimum of six-weeks currently – to four weeks (although at a cost to the DWP).

Mr Vickers said he would “support anything the Government could do to bring that wait down”.

The ex-Scartho ward councillor said he was pleased to see advance payments, worth up to 50 per cent of the month’s universal credit payment, paid up front within a week to the worst-hit cases who could not wait six-weeks.

He assured that those affected in the area would be supported by staff at the Victoria Street Job Centre, who the MP said he planned to meet with before the roll-out.

“Everyone acknowledges that the administration of this and the changes are a big challenge for the system,” said Mr Vickers.

“But you would never change anything if you just think, ‘Oh, it is too big, we can’t cope’.

“These changes are going to happen and people have to cooperate with the system and the people who administrate it. I know that local staff will be doing all they can to help in that respect.”